April 2025

ESG KPI report 2025. Managing what you measure

By Invest Europe Tackling climate change and standing strong on responsible investment themes, such as diversity and zero tolerance to corruption, are among the greatest challenges – and responsibilities – facing the European private equity industry today. These considerations are not only at the forefront of policymakers’ and investors’ minds, but also ever more central to consumers when they decide how to spend their money. We are firm believers in the saying that you cannot manage what you don’t measure. With...

ESG investing: a global investor survey

By AXA Investment Managers We are committed to responsible investing and supporting the transition to sustainable economies. As long-term custodians of wealth, we strive to identify and back environmental, social and governance (ESG) leaders that can protect and grow client portfolios. In doing so, we believe that understanding customer perspectives is paramount, which is why we carried out this extensive study on individual views toward ESG investing across various markets, regions, and demographics.   Get the report here

March 2025

US. Pension Funds Push Forward on Climate Goals Despite Backlash

In the past few months, some of the largest banks and asset managers in the United States have quit net zero networks, the climate groups that encourage their members to set ambitious carbon reduction targets and collaborate internationally on sustainability efforts. But the week after Donald J. Trump won re-election in November, NYCERS, a pension fund for New York City employees, went in the opposite direction. It joined a United Nations-affiliated climate action group for long-term investors, the Net Zero Asset...

UK. Two-thirds of employers embrace responsible pensions; less than half have it as their default

More than two-thirds (69 per cent) of employers in the UK now offer a responsibly invested company pension, but less than half (44 per cent) have it as their default option, research from Scottish Widows has revealed. The firm said this put the onus on employees to take action if they want to switch. However, its Responsibly Invested Pensions report showed that nearly two-thirds (61 per cent) of employees had “no idea” how to change their default, highlighting a growing need for employers...

How to grow employee pension savings while shaping a more sustainable future

Climate change, social inequality and the transition to a low-carbon economy are among the most pressing challenges of our time. These issues are not abstract concerns for future generations — they are reshaping the world we live in today. And for employees, one of the levers they have to make a positive impact, while also building a more secure financial future, is their pension. Recent Scottish Widows’ research reveals that 72 per cent of employees now expect their employers to offer a...

February 2025

German economist suggests tapping into VAT to stabilise first pillar’s contribution rate

German economist and pensions expert Bert Rürup has proposed channelling one percentage point from VAT to the first-pillar pension system, a form of public subsidy to stabilise the contribution rate of the pay-as-you-go pension system, in an article published by Handelsblatt newspaper. One percentage point from VAT would mean channelling €16bn per year to the first-pillar pension system, he added. Rürup’s idea is akin to a model chosen in Switzerland under the reform of the first-pillar AVH21, with the increase of...

France. Pensions: a deficit of 30 billion euros in 2045 without new reform

The Court of Auditors unveiled this Thursday an alarming report on the future of the pension system in France, commissioned by François Bayrou to serve as a basis for negotiations between social partners. According to its projections, the deficit would reach 15 billion euros in 2035 and 30 billion in 2045 if no additional reforms are implemented. In 2023, a surplus of 8,5 billion euros was recorded, but this is explained by cyclical effects linked to inflation and the...

Sustainability has a very different meaning when retirement is around the corner

Sustainability: it’s a buzzword that won’t stop buzzing. Even in financial services, the concept exists, whenever there’s talk about maintaining an income, bank balance or savings account. It’s also a key component of one of the biggest goals in life — retirement. “Many retirees and pre-retirees worry about having enough retirement income to maintain their desired lifestyle, fearing they may outlive their savings,” says Hostplus senior financial planner Bahar McLeod. “This often leads to a reluctance to spend their savings...

Blue state US pension funds ‘lack consistency’ on climate voting

The Sierra Club has warned of “problems with consistency” at US public pension funds in its latest analysis of sustainability-related voting, with differences in support across resolutions and a reluctance to oppose directors at climate laggards. The group last year analysed a number of pension funds in Democrat-leaning states, and has now expanded to include large funds in Republican-leaning and swing states, meaning the latest edition covers more than 30 of the “largest and most influential public pension funds in...

South Korea. Concerns grow over sustainability of national pension fund amid decreasing subscribers

The number of national pension subscribers continues to decline due mainly to the low birthrate and aging population, data from the National Pension Service (NPS) showed Sunday, raising concerns over its sustainability. In contrast, the number of recipients is increasing, pushing the current national pension system toward a risk of fund depletion. But discussions on ways to make the pension system more sustainable have been delayed. According to the NPS, the total number of national pension subscribers stood approximately at 21.81...